Bhagavatapurana 10.57: atha saptapañcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ

10.57.1

/0 śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
vijñātārtho 'pi govindo dagdhān ākarṇya pāṇḍavān /
kuntīṃ ca kulya-karaṇe saha-rāmo yayau kurūn //

Śrī Bādarāyaṇi said:
Though already aware of the truth, Govinda, hearing that the Pāṇḍavas
and Kuntī had been burnt, went with Rāma to the Kurus to perform family duties.

1 & 2. On hearing that Pandavas were burnt Govinda, though He knew the truth, went with Rama to the Kurus to condole Kunti in the customary way; and equally sharing the grief, they met Kripa, Vidura, Gandhari and Drona and expressed their grief saying, "great is the woe that has befallen us."

10.57.2

bhīṣmaṃ kṛpaṃ sa viduraṃ gāndhārīṃ droṇam eva ca /
tulya-duḥkhau ca saṅgamya hā kaṣṭam iti hocatuḥ //

Meeting Bhīṣma, Kṛpa, Vidura, Gāndhārī, and Droṇa,
they shared in their grief and exclaimed: “Alas, how dreadful!”

10.57.3

labdhvaitad antaraṃ rājan śatadhanvānam ūcatuḥ /
akrūra-kṛtavarmāṇau maniḥ kasmān na gṛhyate //

Finding this opportunity, O King, Akrūra and Kṛtavarman
said to Śatadhanvan: “Why is the jewel not taken?

3 & 4. Having obtained this opportunity Akrura and Kritavarman said to Satadhanvan, "Why should not the jewel be taken hold of? He promised us his daughter, but in contempt of us he bestowed her on Krishna. Why should not Satrajit follow his brother?"

10.57.4

yo 'smabhyaṃ sampratiśrutya kanyā-ratnaṃ vigarhya naḥ /
kṛṣṇāyādān na satrājit kasmād bhrātaram anviyāt //

Satrājit, who promised the jewel of a girl to us, slighted us,
and gave her to Kṛṣṇa—why should he not follow his brother [in death]?”

10.57.5

evaṃ bhinna-matis tābhyāṃ satrājitam asattamaḥ /
śayānam avadhīl lobhāt sa pāpaḥ kṣīṇa jīvitaḥ //

With his mind thus corrupted by the two, that vilest of the wicked,
that sinner whose life was doomed, killed the sleeping Satrājit out of greed.

5. His mind being thus spoiled by those two, the most wicked Satadhanvan, sinful and doomed to short life, killed Satrajit in sleep, through his covetousness.

10.57.6

strīṇāṃ vikrośamānānāṃ krandantīnām anātha-vat /
hatvā paśūn saunika-van maṇim ādāya jagmivān //

While the women screamed and wept like helpless wretches,
he slaughtered [him] like a butcher killing beasts, took the jewel, and fled.

6. When the women were helplessly screaming and wailing, he like a butcher killed him and made away with the jewel.

10.57.7

satyabhāmā ca pitaraṃ hataṃ vīkṣya śucārpitā /
vyalapat tāta tāteti hā hatāsmīti muhyatī //

Seeing her father slain, Satyabhāmā, overwhelmed with grief,
lamented, weeping and fainting: “O father, father! Alas, I am ruined!”

7. And Satyabhama, much grieved to see her father assassinated, wept loudly, "Alas! Father, my father, I am undone," and she swooned.

10.57.8

taila-droṇyāṃ mṛtaṃ prāsya jagāma gajasāhvayam /
kṛṣṇāya viditārthāya taptācakhyau pitur vadham //

Placing the corpse in a vessel of oil, she went to Gajasāhvaya,
and, anguished, reported the murder of her father to Kṛṣṇa, who already knew.

8. Having secured the dead body in a large trough of oil, she went to Hastina and in her grief, told of her father's murder to Krishna who naturally knew the truth.

10.57.9

tad ākarṇyeśvarau rājann anusṛtya nṛ-lokatām /
aho naḥ paramaṃ kaṣṭam ity asrākṣau vilepatuḥ //

Hearing that, O King, the two Lords, conforming to human ways,
lamented with tearful eyes: “Alas, what great misery has befallen us!”

9. On hearing that, O king, the Lords of the Universe imitating the human world, sympathised and wept with tears in their eyes, "Ah! What calamity has befallen us."

10.57.10

āgatya bhagavāṃs tasmāt sa-bhāryaḥ sāgrajaḥ puram /
śatadhanvānam ārebhe hantuṃ hartuṃ maṇiṃ tataḥ //

Returning from there to the city with his wife and elder brother,
the Lord undertook to slay Śatadhanvan and recover the jewel from him.

10. Thence returning to His city with His wife and elder brother, the Almighty Krishna made arrangements to punish Satadhanvan and recover the jewel.

10.57.11

so 'pi kṛtodyamaṃ jñātvā bhītaḥ prāṇa-parīpsayā /
sāhāyye kṛtavarmāṇam ayācata sa cābravīt //

Learning of his undertaking and terrified, Śatadhanvan, wishing to save his life,
begged Kṛtavarman for assistance; and he replied:

11. He also had information of Krishna’s plans and in fear and in his anxiety to save his life, entreated Kritavarma for help: but he said:

10.57.12

nāham īsvarayoḥ kuryāṃ helanaṃ rāma-kṛṣṇayoḥ /
ko nu kṣemāya kalpeta tayor vṛjinam ācaran //

“I would not slight the two Lords, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa.
Who indeed could prosper after committing an injury against them?

12. “I could not do anything insulting to the Almighty Rama and Krishna. Who could hope to prosper having offended them?

10.57.13

kaṃsaḥ sahānugo 'pīto yad-dveṣāt tyājitaḥ śriyā /
jarāsandhaḥ saptadaśa- saṃyugād viratho gataḥ //

Kaṃsa, along with his followers, was destroyed and stripped of royal fortune through enmity with him;
Jarāsandha, after seventeen battles, fled deprived of his chariot.”

13. “For hating Krishna Kamsa was deprived of his fortune and is gone with all his followers: and in seventeen battles Jarasandha lost his chariot and took to flight.”

10.57.14

pratyākhyātaḥ sa cākrūraṃ pārṣṇi-grāham ayācata /
so 'py āha ko virudhyeta vidvān īśvarayor balam //

Rejected [by him], he begged Akrūra to support his rear;
he too said: “Who, knowing well, would oppose the power of the two Lords,

14. Thus refused help by Kritavarma, he requested Akrura to stand by him; he too said, “Who, knowing the strength of the Lords, would stand opposed to them?

10.57.15

ya idaṃ līlayā viśvaṃ sṛjaty avati hanti ca /
ceṣṭāṃ viśva-sṛjo yasya na vidur mohitājayā //

who in divine play creates, maintains, and destroys this universe,
whose deeds the creators of the universe do not comprehend, bewildered by his creative power?

15. —“Who sportfully creates, maintains and destroys all this Universe, whose course of action, as the Creator of the Universe, men deluded by Prakriti do not understand.

10.57.16

yaḥ sapta-hāyanaḥ śailam utpāṭyaikena pāṇinā /
dadhāra līlayā bāla ucchilīndhram ivārbhakaḥ //

Who, as a seven-year-old child, plucked up a mountain with one hand
and held it in play as a boy might hold a mushroom?

16. —“Who, a boy of seven years, pulled out with but one hand and that too sportfully, and supported, a mountain like a child holding up a mushroom.

10.57.17

namas tasmai bhagavate kṛṣṇāyādbhuta-karmaṇe /
anantāyādi-bhūtāya kūṭa-sthāyātmane namaḥ //

Obeisance to that Lord Kṛṣṇa of wondrous deeds,
the infinite, the primal source, the immutable self!”

17. “Salutation to that unlimited Almighty Krishna of wonderful work; salutation to the First Cause of everything, subject to no change and the Supreme Atman.

10.57.18

pratyākhyātaḥ sa tenāpi śatadhanvā mahā-maṇim /
tasmin nyasyāśvam āruhya śata-yojana-gaṃ yayau //

Rejected by him as well, Śatadhanvan entrusted the great jewel to him,
mounted a mare that could travel a hundred yojanas, and departed.

18. Having been thus refused help by Akrura also, Satadhanvan left the jewel in his (Akrura’s) hands, mounted a horse and fled to a distance of hundred Yojanas.

10.57.19

garuḍa-dhvajam āruhya rathaṃ rāma-janārdanau /
anvayātāṃ mahā-vegair aśvai rājan guru-druham //

Mounting their chariot marked with the flag of Garuḍa, Rāma and Janārdana
pursued the murderer of their elder relative with swift horses, O King.

19. O king; Rama and Krishna, mounted Garuda-bannered

chariot drawn by very swift horses and pursued Satadhanvan who was treacherous to his own Guru.

10.57.20

mithilāyām upavane visṛjya patitaṃ hayam /
padbhyām adhāvat santrastaḥ kṛṣṇo 'py anvadravad ruṣā //

Abandoning the fallen mare in a grove near Mithilā,
he fled on foot in terror; Kṛṣṇa too pursued on foot in fury.

20. In a garden near Mithila he left the horse that in fatigue dropped down and in his fear he took to his heels; Krishna also angrily pursued him.

10.57.21

padāter bhagavāṃs tasya padātis tigma-neminā /
cakreṇa śira utkṛtya vāsasor vyacinon maṇim //

The Lord severed his head as he ran on foot with his sharp-rimmed discus
while himself on foot, and searched his garments for the jewel.

21. The Almighty Krishna also, pursuing him on foot, cut off his head with His keen-edged Chakra and for the jewel searched his clothes.

10.57.22

alabdha-maṇir āgatya kṛṣṇa āhāgrajāntikam /
vṛthā hataḥ śatadhanur maṇis tatra na vidyate //

Not finding the jewel, Kṛṣṇa came back to his elder brother and said:
“In vain was Śatadhanvan slain; the jewel is not to be found there.”

22. Not finding the jewel, Krishna came to His brother and said, "Satadhanvan has been killed in vain; the jewel is not with him."

10.57.23

tata āha balo nūnaṃ sa maṇiḥ śatadhanvanā /
kasmiṃścit puruṣe nyastas tam anveṣa puraṃ vraja //

Then Bala said: “Surely that jewel has been deposited
by Śatadhanvan with someone; search for him—return to the city.

23. And Balarama observed, "Certainly the jewel must have been left with some body by Satadhanvan: thou mayst return to the city and search for _him_;

10.57.24

ahaṃ vaideham icchāmi draṣṭuṃ priyatamaṃ mama /
ity uktvā mithilāṃ rājan viveśa yada-nandanaḥ //

I wish to see the king of Videha, who is very dear to me.”
Having said this, O King, the delighter of the Yadus entered Mithilā.

24. "I like to see my great friend, king of Videhas;" Accordingly Balarama went into Mithila, O king."

10.57.25

taṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasotthāya maithilaḥ prīta-mānasaḥ /
arhayāṃ āsa vidhi-vad arhaṇīyaṃ samarhaṇaiḥ //

Seeing him, the ruler of Mithilā rose up at once with a delighted heart
and worshipped him, who was worthy of worship, with offerings according to rule.

25. King of Mithila was much delighted to see Balarama, rose at once from his seat and duly honoured the worthy guest with worthy offerings and attentions.

10.57.26

uvāsa tasyāṃ katicin mithilāyāṃ samā vibhuḥ /
mānitaḥ prīti-yuktena janakena mahātmanā /
tato 'śikṣad gadāṃ kāle dhārtarāṣṭraḥ suyodhanaḥ //

The all-powerful Lord lived in that Mithilā for several years,
honored by the magnanimous Janaka with affection;
and there, in due time, Dhṛtarāṣṭra's son Suyodhana learned the mace.

26. In the city of Mithila the Lord Balarama spent some years, highly esteemed by the friendly and noble-minded Janaka. It was then that Duryodhana, son of Dhritarashtra, learnt the use of mace (gada) under Balarama.

10.57.27

keśavo dvārakām etya nidhanaṃ śatadhanvanaḥ /
aprāptiṃ ca maṇeḥ prāha priyāyāḥ priya-kṛd vibhuḥ //

Keśava, the all-powerful Lord, returned to Dvārakā and told the death of Śatadhanvan
and the failure to recover the jewel to his beloved, pleasing her.

27. Returning to Dwaraka Kesava told His beloved Satyabhama for her satisfaction of the death of Satadhanvan and of His not finding the jewel.

10.57.28

tataḥ sa kārayām āsa kriyā bandhor hatasya vai /
sākaṃ suhṛdbhir bhagavān yā yāḥ syuḥ sāmparāyikīḥ //

Then, together with the kinsmen, the Lord caused to be performed
whatever funeral rites were due for his slain relative.

28. Then the Lord got his friends to perform for him all those funeral rites that are due to the dead.

10.57.29

akrūraḥ kṛtavarmā ca śrutvā śatadhanor vadham /
vyūṣatur bhaya-vitrastau dvārakāyāḥ prayojakau //

Hearing of the death of Śatadhanvan, Akrūra and Kṛtavarman,
who had instigated him, fled from Dvārakā, stricken with terror.

29. Akrura and Kritavarma, the instigators, heard of Satadhanvan's death and in great fear absented themselves from Dwaraka.

10.57.30

akrūre proṣite 'riṣṭāny āsan vai dvārakaukasām /
śārīrā mānasās tāpā muhur daivika-bhautikāḥ //

When Akrūra had gone abroad, portents of misfortune beset the dwellers of Dvārakā—
bodily and mental afflictions, repeatedly caused by fate and elements.

30. When Akrura was absent from the city the residents of Dwaraka experienced a bad time of it, physically and mentally, through the agency of the gods and the great Bhutas (elements.)

10.57.31

ity aṅgopadiśanty eke vismṛtya prāg udāhṛtam /
muni-vāsa-nivāse kiṃ ghaṭetāriṣṭa-darśanam //

Thus, my dear, some explain it, forgetting what was stated before:
How could the appearance of misfortune occur in the abode of the home of sages?

31 & 32. O dear prince! having forgotten what had been already said (of Krishna's glory) some say, 'How could any evil be seen or befall anybody in the abode of Krishna, the one resort of sages. When Indra withheld the rains, the king of Kasi gave his daughter Gandini and also a tract of land so called to his guest Swaphalka: thereupon Indra sent down rains to the kingdom of Kasi:

10.57.32

deve 'varṣati kāśīśaḥ śvaphalkāyāgatāya vai /
sva-sutāṃ gāṇdinīṃ prādāt tato 'varṣat sma kāśiṣu //

When the god did not rain, the king of Kāśī indeed gave his daughter
Gāndinī to Śvaphalka who had arrived; then it rained in Kāśi.

10.57.33

tat-sutas tat-prabhāvo 'sāv akrūro yatra yatra ha /
devo 'bhivarṣate tatra nopatāpā na mārīkāḥ //

His son, endowed with his power, is this Akrūra; wherever he is,
the god pours down rain, and there are no torments nor pestilences.

33. Wherever his son, this Akrura, possessed of the same great virtue, may be, (there) Indra sends down rain and no calamities or plagues appear there.

10.57.34

iti vṛddha-vacaḥ śrutvā naitāvad iha kāraṇam /
iti matvā samānāyya prāhākrūraṃ janārdanaḥ //

Hearing these words of the elders, and thinking that this alone was not the cause here,
Janārdana had Akrūra summoned and addressed him.

34. On hearing what the elders said and seeing that, that by itself could not be the cause, Krishna sent for Akrura and spoke to him.

10.57.35

pūjayitvābhibhāṣyainaṃ kathayitvā priyāḥ kathāḥ /
vijñatākhila-citta jñaḥ smayamāna uvāca ha //

Honoring him, conversing with him, and recounting pleasant tales,
knowing the minds of all, he smiled and said:

35. He honoured him (Akrura), spoke to him kindly, told him delightful stories; and the Lord who knows the mind (truth) of all creatures smilingly said:—

10.57.36

nanu dāna-pate nyastas tvayy āste śatadhanvanā /
syamantako maniḥ śrīmān viditaḥ pūrvam eva naḥ //

“Surely, O lord of charity, the glorious Syamantaka jewel
was entrusted to you by Śatadhanvan; it was known to us beforehand.

36. "O Danapati, the jewel Syamantaka of great splendour is left by Satadhanvan with thee; We are already aware of it.

10.57.37

satrājito 'napatyatvād gṛhṇīyur duhituḥ sutāḥ /
dāyaṃ ninīyāpaḥ piṇḍān vimucyarṇaṃ ca śeṣitam //

Since Satrājit has no sons, his daughter's sons should take
the inheritance, after offering water and funeral cakes, and clearing any remaining debts.

37. "Satrajit having no son, his daughter's children ought to pour oblations of water and rice and pay his debts and enjoy the rest of his property.

10.57.38

tathāpi durdharas tv anyais tvayy āstāṃ su-vrate maṇiḥ /
kintu mām agrajaḥ samyaṅ na pratyeti maṇiṃ prati //

Even so, since it is unmanageable by others, let the jewel remain with you, O man of firm vows! / But my elder brother does not completely believe me concerning the jewel.

38. "Still, let the jewel, not possible to be maintained by others, remain with thee that art in righteous ways: but My elder brother does not think well of Me in the matter of this jewel.

10.57.39

darśayasva mahā-bhāga bandhūnāṃ śāntim āvaha /
avyucchinnā makhās te 'dya vartante rukma-vedayaḥ //

Show it, O fortunate one, and bring peace among our kinsmen! / Today your sacrificial offerings continue uninterrupted on gold altars.

39. "O blessed one, please show it to all our kith and kin, and end their anxiety. Are all thy sacrificial courses progressing without interruption on golden platforms?"

10.57.40

evaṃ sāmabhir ālabdhaḥ śvaphalka-tanayo maṇim /
ādāya vāsasācchannaḥ dadau sūrya-sama-prabham //

Thus addressed with conciliatory words, the son of Śvaphalka took out the jewel / concealed in his garment and handed it over, blazing like the sun.

40. Thus gently rebuked, Swaphalka's son brought and delivered the jewel brilliant like the sun, wrapped in a piece of cloth.

10.57.41

syamantakaṃ darśayitvā jñātibhyo raja ātmanaḥ /
vimṛjya maṇinā bhūyas tasmai pratyarpayat prabhuḥ //

Having shown the Syamantaka to his kinsmen and wiped away the slander against himself / by means of the jewel, the Lord returned it to him once more.

41. Having got Akrura to show Syamantaka to His relations, and cleared off the suspicion resting on Him, He returned it to him.

10.57.41.p1

yas tv etad bhagavata īśvarasya viṣṇor $ vīryāḍhyaṃ vṛjina-haraṃ su-maṅgalaṃ ca &

Anyone who reads, hears, or remembers this narrative / rich in the prowess of the Lord, God Viṣṇu, dispelling sin and bringing supreme auspiciousness,

42. He who reads, listens to and contemplates this account celebrating the glory of the Almighty Ruler Vishnu who removes sin and confers auspiciousness, would be free from all evil reputation and sin and attain happiness.

10.57.42

ākhyānaṃ paṭhati śṛṇoty anusmared vā % duṣkīrtiṃ duritam apohya yāti śāntim //

casts off ill repute and transgression, and attains peace.